'Invizimals' Challenges 'Skylanders' With TV Show And Panini Cards

Invizimals returns in style at E3. The monster hunting game comes to PlayStation 3, Vita, iPhone, iPad and Android along with a new 460 card Panini collection and 26 episode TV Show.

The PSP franchise Invizimals had been somewhat out gunned by the rise in the toy-meets-video-game genre with Skylanders and Disney Infinity. Even
Sony's own titles like Eye Pet and Wonderbook seemed to overshadow the diminutive monster collecting joys of the Invizimals series.

At this year's E3 that all changed. TV shows, Panini collectable cards, iOS and Android apps join a tag-team Vita and PS3 version of the game to out maneuver even Skylanders. Let's set aside the new console and handheld games for now and get to grips with what Invizimals has in store for card collectors, smartphone owners and TV watchers.

My perplexity at the length of time it takes to turn a children's video-game franchise into a Saturday morning cartoon is probably testament to my ignorance about making TV shows as much as any publisher tardiness. However, it still surprises me how many great game characters remain un-capitalized upon in this way. Surely this is a no-brainer for the likes of Skylanders?

This then is a key piece of the Invizimals offering for families. To have a 26 episode TV show coming up that ties in not only to the console game but the card collection and augmented reality capturing mechanic is likely to mirror the success of the Pokemon shows that depict characters taking on the role of the game-player. This works so well because it offers both an extension to the brand and substantiates it as a universe that children want to spend time in.

Invizimals Hidden Challenges - iOS, Android, Vita, PSP

The next weapon in the Invizimals armory are the Panini collectable cards. Although I realize that these are functionally similar to the Topps Skylanders cards, there is something about the Panini brand that reminds me of a misspent youth collecting World Cup, Gremlins and Back to the Future stickers that makes this more appealing. In fact even writing this I am reminded of the smell and excitement of opening a new pack of stickers.

Invizimals Panini Stickers

As with the Shadow Zone cards for the PSP Invizimals game, these cards also have a functional benefit over similar offerings. Turn them over and they have an AR mark on the back that lets you bring the character into your collection on the Invizimals Hidden Challenges apps. This can also be used as an AR marker in the Vita game for real-world battles. I had expected this to be the case but was impressed that this extends beyond a Vita and PSP version of the capture software to iPhone, iPad and Android devices. No mention of Windows Phone currently but perhaps that was a step too far for Sony.

Seeing the full collection of Invizimals cards and characters at E3, I was quite taken with both the design and desirability of the set. I know that my kids will be putting pocket-money and savings towards more than a few of these foil "blind" packs to work on their collections when they are released here.It's worth noting that when your collections are nearly finished you can send off for particular cards to complete it.

This is already available in Spain, where the cards and Hidden Challenges apps have been tested out. The app had been downloaded over 100,000 times in a couple of weeks, which is more than a little impressive. It will be interesting to see if this success is mirrored in other territories.

I had a chance to open some Invizimals Hidden Challenges packs and get them in front of the Android app at E3, running on a rather smart Sony tablet. It all worked very smoothly and without a hiccup. As with other Panini collections is seem that you will get one foil card in each pack. The Hidden Challenges cards have upped the stakes in terms of the number of cards. Whereas the Invizimals Shadow Zone cards had 229 cards split between 131 common cards and 98 foils, the new deck offers a whopping 460 cards -- and I suspect around 190 foils.

Invizimals Lost Kingdoms - PlayStation 3

The next piece of the Invizimals pie is its first outing on a console. The new game pits players as a young explorer in the world of the Invizimals. Developed by Magenta Software, you play as Hiro, who can transform into different Invizimals creatures to solve puzzles, fight and jump his way through a platforming experience.